Introduction
An active member of his local community, Garry Parenteau is a public administrator, and advocate for Aboriginal rights. He believes Lakeland should have a strong voice in Ottawa and is eager to bring real, positive change to his community.
Highly involved with Alberta's M étis community, Garry has an extensive background in public administration and a long history of serving his community. Since 1986, he has filled many positions, including the Chairperson of the Fishing Lake M étis Settlement, the Vice-President of the M étis Settlements General Council, and the representative of the M étis Settlements General Council to the federal government in Ottawa. Additionally, Garry was the Vice President of Finance for the Liberal Party of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples Commission from 2000 to 2003.
Garry has studied local government administration at the University of Alberta and Aboriginal governance courses at the Banff School of Management. He currently lives on the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement and serves as the Settlement's Oil & Gas Director.
1. What would you do to address the problems such as labor shortages cause by the changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Changes to the foreign worker program has had a major negative impact on many locate businesses in small towns across Canada. In the Lakeland the impact is felt even with the down turn in the economy.
2. What would be your party's direction to create increased economic and job stability?
Job stability and economic growth is a major platform of the Liberal Party, this is also the direction for the Lakeland riding. We know that in the recent downturn of the oil and gas industry this will be trying times especially in Northeastern Alberta of which the Lakeland riding sits. To off- set the unknown timeline of this downturn our party has committed to training programs, education assistance, and alternative energy research to stabilize the economy in the future. The economy of Canada will have a higher impact to the Lakeland riding as the service industry to the oil industry reaches every family in the riding, most families has a member that is indirectly or directly working for a service provider to the oil industry producers.
3. What is your stance on Canada's role in the Syrian refugee crisis?
Canada has always accepted refugees, Canada is known and prides itself as a Country of diverse backgrounds and diverse ethnic groups of peoples that can live and build a strong country. The Syrian crisis is one similar to many refugee crises in the past, Canada will again do everything within its resources to provide a timely acceptance of a Syrian refugees in a safe and efficient process.
4. What do you feel the federal government should be doing to support agriculture, especially in years of drought or other environmental disaster?
The federal government, which is composed of all politic representatives, should support all agriculture hardships. This is especially directed to the small farmer that has a more direct impact when drought or disasters strike. Access to markets for produce need to be reassessed so the average farmer can move his product. Farmers are the backbone of our Canada and the farmers are the producers of our gardens that enable the cities and other industries to flourish in their specific trades and regions. Environmental disasters may contribute to economic disaster without proper plans being constructed in advance to mitigate any negative impacts.
